Dietary Charcha with Zoomi

Proteins are the major structural component of muscle and other body tissues, and are used to produce hormones, enzymes and haemoglobin. An adequate dietary intake of protein is essential for growth and repair of body cells, the normal functioning and maintaining muscles and bones, transmission of nerve impulses and immunity. Protein can also be used as energy, but is not the body’s preferred energy source, so this occurs only when the amounts of carbohydrate and fats consumed are insufficient.   Plant proteins in the human diet include a diverse range, which vary in terms of amino acid composition and digestibility. They are perfectly capable of satisfying human needs for all ages when consumed in appropriate mixtures. The protein quality of a given food can be determined by the Protein Digestibility-Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS), which evaluates protein quality based on both the amino acid requirements of humans and their ability to digest the food. Most animal proteins (...

  An ample amount of nutrients can be obtained by adding a diversity of colours to your diet. Processed and refined, white foods generally refer to foods that are white in color. Several of the white foods come from ultra-processed sources, such as refined grains and sugars, and can be easily replaced with more nutritious alternatives, including whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Meanwhile, many white foods are highly nutritious and can be used to support weight loss.  Instead, it’s best to focus on consuming whole, minimally processed foods and practicing moderation when consuming those that are less nutrient-dense. The difference between refined white foods and their healthier counterparts is the processing and fiber. Natural, unprocessed white foods, such as onions, garlic, mushrooms, cauliflower, white beans, and tofu are some examples of good white foods: Good White Foods:      White Onion & Garlic contains phytochemicals that help in the r...

  Black rice, one kind of its kind rice, is getting more popular recently and is consumed as a functional food due to its usefulness to health. Black rice is also known as purple rice, forbidden rice, heaven rice, imperial rice, king’s rice, etc. Research has shown that black rice is considered the twenty-first-century superfood. It is the only rice to contain the antioxidant known as anthocyanins, which is found in dark-hued fruits and vegetables like blueberries, blackberries, dark grapes, dark cherries, purple brinjals, purple cabbage, and purple corn amongst others. Moreover, Chak-Hao, the black rice variety of Manipur bagged the  Geographical Indication (GI) tag .  It is normally eaten during community feasts and is served as Chak-Hao kheer. Chak-Hao has also been used by traditional medical practitioners as part of traditional medicine.   Nutritional Significance: Black rice contains essential amino acids like lysine, tryptophan; vitamins such as vitamin ...

  The world is witnessing the lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, high cholesterol levels, cardiovascular disease, skin problems, cancer, celiac disease, etc. mounting swiftly due to the fast and faulty lifestyle prevalent today. Work stress coupled with digitization of the economy and high consumption of simple sugars, refined foods have contributed to inadequate nutrition levels and poor health. It is thereby crucial to re-examine our lifestyle and to adopt healthy dietary practices to enjoy a better quality of life. Millets can play a crucial role in this regard along with the incorporation of whole foods, less processed & refined foods in our daily diet. Nutritional Significance: Millets are popularly known as Nutri-cereals as they provide most of the nutrients required for the normal functioning of the human body. Each of the millets is three to five times nutritionally superior to the widely promoted rice and wheat in te...